Leaving home and heading across the world to another
continent, timezone and even hemisphere is a pretty daunting task. Before
leaving in July, I had my own set of worries, most of them being getting lost
in an airport. Thankfully I was able to navigate through all the airports and
landed in Cape Town, South Africa safely. After a few minor bumps, I was able
to settle into my new room and start my journey through the University of Cape
Town and the city and country itself.
Traveling alone to a foreign country to study has its ups
and downs, and I have not been immune to this at all. My first bump came when I
had ended up being mislabeled on the airport pickup list, and was stranded for
a bit of time. Thankfully I wasn’t the only study abroad student trying to
figure their way to the school, and we both managed a safe travel and were
welcomed by the international community at UCT. My next bump came in the form
of what I like to call, FOMO (fear of missing out). I saw all my friends moving
and starting classes back home and desperately missed that time. I had already
been in school for a month and was knee deep in papers, tests, and group
projects. It wasn’t until my friends told me how jealous they were of my
experiences, and extremely warm winter, that I knew I was still enjoying myself
and having a great time in South Africa. My most recent bump came on a trip. A
few friends of mine and I had discussed what we were doing for our short
vacation, similar to spring break, when most of my friends made plans that
didn’t include me. Scattering last minute to make plans, two other friends and
I signed up last minute for a tour of the Eastern Cape through a travel
company, which ended up being the best decision for my break. I overcame my
fear of heights by bungee jumping off the world’s tallest commercial bungee
bridge, became better friends with students I hadn’t met yet, and learned about
conservation efforts for many animals in South Africa. Many of my downs and
doubts ended up revealing great experiences and wonderful memories, everything
that helps make up study abroad.
I wish I could say I have only been traveling and having fun
exploring, but school is a real thing. Getting used to a new grading system and
set of expectations was a bit easier than I imagined, but didn’t mean I could
put in any less work. While my classes have been challenging, they’ve helped me
understand South Africa as a country more, and even the world from a different
perspective. School is something that brings a lot of people together, and I’ve
had incredible discussions with students from all different backgrounds about
many different issues facing South Africa, America, and the world in general.
It was moments like these, conversations like these that were the reasons I
wanted to study abroad. You can learn so much more by just engaging in
conversation with different people, and I can honestly say it has changed my
perspective on some ideas.
Despite my enjoyment of classes, I haven’t actually have had
class for about two weeks. Students around at different universities, from
Joburg to Cape Town, have protested and shut down campuses, in response to the
government saying they are raising fees. This has hit close to home, especially
seeing all the protests taking place at home, and has opened up even more
conversation between students. It was inspiring seeing these students stand
together so they could have an affordable education, just as it has been
inspiring to see students at home banning together and supporting each other in
their own protests and movements.
In all, I have had a whirlwind of experiences so far in
South Africa. I’ve hiked mountains, studied late for tests, made friends with a
cheetah, and created lasting and deep friendships with the city and the people
I’ve met here. I still have a few months to go, and I can’t wait to see how the
protests resolve, and how my journey continues.
Tori Crook
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, Africa
